Robinson, Dietrich, & Raft’s Star Power Gives ‘Manpower’ a Boost 1941

 

"Manpower," with mega-watt star power of Marlene Dietrich, Edward G. Robinson,
 and George Raft. 

Raoul Walsh was a WB director up to the task of putting high-voltage stars like Edward G. Robinson, Marlene Dietrich, and George Raft through their paces in the action triangle, 1941’s Manpower. Walsh specialized in masculine stories, but also with strong female characters. The star trio is game here, but the script is strictly by the numbers.

Bachelor # 1! The lovable lug Edward G. Robinson, gaga for Marlene Dietrich,
in 1941's "Manpower. "

Bachelor #2! George Raft's tough guy plays hard to get, but so does Marlene Dietrich,
  in WB's "Manpower."

In a nutshell, Robinson and Raft play Hank and Johnny, best buddies who work as California electrical line men. Hank is lovelorn but keeps up a steady patter of girl talk; Johnny is a man of few words, but actually gets the girls. Their job is fraught with danger, often brought on by deadly weather. First, Hank’s leg gets electrocuted, and later, Johnny takes a bad fall. In between this, Johnny’s voice of doom old pal, Pop Duval, asks him to take him to his daughter, Fay, who’s getting out of prison. Raft and Dietrich’s characters have an instant love-hate attraction. This is complicated when Pop’s gloomy prediction comes true and he gets fried on the job. When Hank and Johnny go to Fay to give her the bad news, guess who also becomes gaga for Dietrich’s tough cookie? From there, Manpower alternates between the men’s dangerous occupation and their preoccupation with her.

Marlene Dietrich has her hands full in 1941's "Manpower!" With George Raft
and Edward G. Robinson. 

Off-camera, there was friction, as well. Raft resented being third-billed, while playing the lead. He also didn’t like the way Robinson was performing certain scenes together. And rumor had it that Raft was romancing Dietrich, and was suspicious that Eddie was smitten with her, too! It all came to a head when the boys got into a heated argument and shoving match—all captured on-camera by a visiting Life photographer! For more dish, here’s the skinny: https://starsandletters.blogspot.com/2018/12/controversy-on-set-of-manpower.html

 

George Raft and Edward G. Robinson play besties in 1941's "Manpower."
Off-camera, things got a bit beastly between the two stars.

Much of WB's They Drive by Night, from the previous year, had the same talent: director, writer, producer, composer, and several of the cast members. Part of what enlivened They Drive by Night was a juicy subplot lifted from 1935's Bordertown, with Paul Muni as the male lead and Bette Davis as the unhappy wife who bedevils him. Night’s Ann Sheridan and Ida Lupino were far more realistic leading ladies in a WB melodrama than languid and lacquered Marlene Dietrich. Not that Marlene is bad, just very miscast. And what would possess her Fay to marry a homely little man who has a thankless job as an electrical line man?

Eve Arden's fellow "hostess" reacts to Marlene Dietrich’s Fay and her ambivalence
 over marrying a man she doesn't love, in 1941's "Manpower."

The men of 1941's "Manpower!"

The juvenile way the Manpower guys obsess about dames and sex non-stop, plus Marlene’s character is referred to as a "kid" who makes a lot of dumb life decisions is an eye roll, since Eddie G. was 47 and Marlene and George were 40 at the time. That being said, they all play well, given the clichéd characters and script.

No-makeup scene with Marlene Dietrich in 1941's "Manpower." Okay, I didn't say
 anything about false eyelashes and a wig!

Amusing when Marlene gets out of the joint and her first request is to hit a drug store to buy makeup—mind you she's wearing false eyelashes like awnings! From there on, Dietrich's face is painted like a kewpie doll, whether she's working, sleeping, or making morning biscuits for her new husband! Sitting next to fellow clip joint girl Eve Arden—normally made up, Marlene in her mannequin makeup and wig looks like she’s from another movie. 

And she can cook, too! Marlene Dietrich as Edward G. Robinson's blase bride,
in 1941's "Manpower."

Whether horny, drunk, or throwing punches, over-zealous Eddie seems a bit absurd and not especially convincing. Especially when he socks Ward Bond, who's a head taller and built like a brick shithouse! Eddie's energetic emoting is in stark contrast to Marlene and George's deadpan style. And Dietrich is not the only one clinging to '30s makeup—Raft is still wearing generously applied guy-liner and eye shadow!

Handsome George Raft, with smoky eye makeup to go with his non-stop smoking,
in 1941's "Manpower. "

And George Raft's tough guy act, throwing punches and furniture at the least provocation, trash-talking Dietrich's character non-stop, and slapping her up near the climax, doesn't age well at all.

George is getting angry! From WB'S 1941 action flick, "Manpower. "

Edward G. Robinson beating the competition,  in 1941's "Manpower."

Alan Hale is more annoying than usual with his "lovable" buffoon persona. He’s even more over the top here than as the bumptious boyfriend of Stella Dallas or the crass hubby of Ida Lupino in They Drive by Night. There's way too much comic relief, to the point they might as well have brought in The Three Stooges, what with Hale, Frank McHugh, and Walter Catlett, going so overboard.

Alan Hale is the alleged comic relief in WB's "Manpower."

I always loved the WB depiction of the working class during their golden era. A highlight is the diner scene, where the guy behind the counter calls out the orders to the cook in slang. And if you took a drink every time George Raft calls Marlene’s shady lady “sister,” you’d be sloshed! And the girl talk at the Midnight Club clip joint is zingy. Manpower is quite watchable, just rather unoriginal. 

George Raft and Ward Bond are hands-on help when Edward G. Robinson
gets zapped in 1941’s "Manpower."

My look at Marlene Dietrich in a similar role, but with a far better script, in Billy Wilder’s post-war comedy/drama, A Foreign Affair:  https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2023/05/billy-wilders-adult-foreign-affair-1948.html 

Love this montage of George Raft's Johnny recovering in the hospital,  as a nurse
gives him a cigarette! 1941's "Manpower."